Diego Rivera: The Flower Seller

Diego Rivera was an artist whose work became popular during the early 20^th century.  He is best know for his incorporation of Mexican heritage into his work, as well as his for his undisguised style of painting.  This style is characterized by the presentation of objects as being broader and more robust that they are in actuality.  Along with this, Rivera often portrayed three-dimensional subjects or elements in a way that makes them appear more two-dimensional.  The oil on masonite painting The Flower Seller, was painted by Diego Rivera in 1942.  It offers a clear display of visual unity through the implement of various elements of art and design.

Rivera achieves visual unity in The Flower Seller by employing the use of artistic essentials such as balance, repetition, harmony, proximity, and emphasis.  Harmony in this piece is reached through the balance of the image.  This sense of balance is gained through the stability of the subject, painted in Rivera’s broad and well-built stylistic approach.  In conjunction with the balance of the image, the harmonious color pallet at work aids in the formation of unity.  It is predominantly warm, but is accented well by the pleasing placement of the cooler colors.  Another way in which Diego Rivera obtains unity in The Flower Seller is by utilizing repetition and proximity.  In the painting, these two things go hand in hand.  One can observe repetition in the lilies, the woman’s clothing, the ribbon around the basket, and in the weave and texture of said basket.  The proximity of all of these portions of the image allow for the repetition to be more easily detected by the viewer’s eye.  It allows for the creation of texture, rhythm, and pattern.  Emphasis is the final principle of art and design that aid in the unification of The Flower Seller.  The emphasis is in this painting is placed on the lilies, the group of flowers in the basket, held by the woman in the foreground.  The flowers become the focal point by way of the contrast at work.  This contrast exists between the dark, black background and the lively yellow lilies.  It is indisputable that Diego Rivera utilized many elements and principles of art and design in order to create a more unified and visually pleasing image.

Diego Rivera,

The Flower Seller, 1942.

Oil on Masonite, 48 x 48 in.

Private collection.